The present invention relates to an assembling method and a disassembling method for a cartridge having a developing device, the cartridge being detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus.
The cartridge is, for example, a developing cartridge which integrally contains a developing means for developing with toner an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner to be supplied to the developing means, the cartridge being detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus may be an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic-printer (an LED printer, an laser beam printer or the like), an electrophotographic-printer type facsimile machine and an electrophotographic word processor, or the like.
Conventionally, the structure of an apparatus for forming multi-color images through and electrophotographic image forming process, includes a photosensitive drum (electrophotographic photosensitive member), and a developing rotary member carrying a plurality of developing cartridges which contains different color toner materials. A developing cartridge accommodating a predetermined color toner faces to the photosensitive drum. By doing so, the electrostatic latent image is developed. Then, the toner image is transferred onto a recording material. The steps are repeated for different colors to provide a multi-color image. In such a color image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge is detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The developing cartridge may be exchanged by the user. By doing so, the maintenance operation of the main assembly of the apparatus is eased.
A simple assembling method for such a cartridge is desired from the standpoint of improvement in the productivity, and more efficient mounting of the parts are also desired.
Furthermore, in terms of reuse of the cartridge by exchanging a part of the parts after the toner therein is used up, a simple and efficient disassembly method and assembling method are desired.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an assembling method of a cartridge wherein parts such as a developing roller, a toner supplying roller or other parts are easily and efficiently mounted to a main assembly unit of a cartridge.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple and efficient disassembling method for a cartridge to permit exchange of parts of the cartridge.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken In conjunction with the accompanying drawings.